Family including four children thought to be on their way to Syria are arrested in Turkey

Asif Malik, 31, his partner Sara Kiran, 29, and their four children were caught on CCTV boarding a cross-Channel ferry from Dover earlier this month.

Thames Valley Police believed they arrived in Calais, France, before travelling south down through Europe in a bid to flee to Syria.

However, a Turkish official claimed today that the couple had been arrested in Ankara and are currently in custody with their four children - daughter Zoha, seven, and three sons Essa, four, Zakariva, two, and Yahya, one.

Earlier, British authorities had said that there was no suggestion the family was doing any fighting in Syria, and it was unclear whether they were sympathetic to members of the Islamic State group or Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

But earlier today, the Mail revealed how Malik was pictured waving a flag in support of ISIS at a demonstration in London last year.

The photograph shows Malik - a member of the banned UK extremist group al-Mujahiroun - holding a pro-ISIS sign at a protest against the arrest of hate preacher Omar Bakri Muhammad in May last year.

The picture, taken by extremism researcher Jacob Michelson, shows the 31-year-old standing outside the Lebanese embassy in London brandishing a poster which reads 'Islamic State Is Solution', with the first letter of each word highlighted to spell out 'ISIS'.

Bakri, who led a number of hate groups in Britain before being kicked out of the UK, was arrested in Lebanon in May, and is believed still to be in detention there.

Earlier today Ms Kiran's family made an emotional appeal directly to her, urging her to get in touch so that they know the family is safe.

'We would like to urge you, Sara and Asif, to make contact with us and let us know that you and the children are safe,' relatives said in a statement.

'Sara, we want to let you know that we love you - we miss you, Asif and the grandchildren. You are not in trouble, we are not angry or upset, and we just want you to return home safely.' 

Thames Valley Police said yesterday that the Malik family were last seen on Tuesday April 7 but were only reported missing to police last Thursday, April 16.

Malik and Ms Kiran, who neighbours said usually wore the full Islamic veil, left home without mentioning any holiday or travel plans to family members, which a force spokesman said was 'entirely out of character for this family'.

Police said the family boarded a ferry from Dover to Calais at 12.30am on Wednesday, April 8.

Neighbours said the alarm was raised after at least one of their four children failed to attend school.

Their grandmother was also seen looking for them and knocking on other doors in the modern block of flats where they lived, asking if anyone had seen the family.

Neither Malik nor his partner have attempted to contact any family members or friends since, despite taking their mobile phones with them on the trip, police said.

Police said the lack of contact led detectives to believe their reason for leaving Britain may not be legitimate.

Deputy Chief Constable John Campbell said yesterday: 'Given the online rhetoric from the Islamic State encouraging people to travel to Syria, the direction of travel and concerns voiced by Asif's family, we are concerned the family may be seeking to travel to Syria.'

Anjem Choudary confirmed yesterday that Malik had been a member of al-Mujahiroun, and described him as a 'champion for shariah' who regularly attended the group's events and demonstrations. 

(dailymail.co.uk)